Keep Your Door Open
Literally: Never stay in the classroom with a single student if the door is closed. If you're teaching more than two students, then you can close it, but with all the legal issues that are on teachers these days, leave it open. If I'm in my room alone and the door is closed, and a student comes by, I prop that door open before helping them.
Figuratively: allow your students to come in! Don't tell them they can't come during lunch or before/after school, unless you really can't. For me, I tell the students no on Mondays and Thursdays - Mondays we have faculty meetings and Thursdays I run the Book Club. And during lunch I have duty so I just tell them to call me over.
Help is not always academic either. Students have come to talk to me about problems they're having, which I welcome completely. That's me as a person, but don't make the students feel like they can't trust you.
Showing posts with label talking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label talking. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Teaching Tip #34
Watch Your Tone of Voice
This goes along with the snippiness I mentioned in #31. Students read a lot into your tone of voice, whether you intend to use a certain lilt or not. You can't be sarcastic too often (but you can't be monotone either). You can't let your anger and frustration show (oh that one is tough, and you slip up, but you don't go in every day giving someone an attitude. Let them work up to a level of frustration :P).
Don't yell directly in their faces.
DO keep a low tone as often as possible. Show happiness and cheer through your words and through your tone. Let your enthusiasm to teach, and for that subject, bleed through your voice. Let them hear your compassion and understanding.
This goes along with the snippiness I mentioned in #31. Students read a lot into your tone of voice, whether you intend to use a certain lilt or not. You can't be sarcastic too often (but you can't be monotone either). You can't let your anger and frustration show (oh that one is tough, and you slip up, but you don't go in every day giving someone an attitude. Let them work up to a level of frustration :P).
Don't yell directly in their faces.
DO keep a low tone as often as possible. Show happiness and cheer through your words and through your tone. Let your enthusiasm to teach, and for that subject, bleed through your voice. Let them hear your compassion and understanding.
Teaching Tip #33
Be Careful with What You Say
This goes along with the previous post, but is mostly geared towards the teacher's lounge.
Students hear things, sometimes in the most peculiar ways. If you are talking about students in a negative way, they will know. If you talk about certain personal issues/things, they will know. If you talk about another staff member, they will know.
I am currently at a Catholic school. I don't believe in abortion for many reasons but one of those is my religion. I will say that.
When I was subbing at a public school, one of my students was doing a paper against abortion, except for extreme cases. I didn't let her know it was against my religion, but gave other reasons so that she could have a base for her research.
I called my computer my baby once, and a student asked me if I had a child. I showed them my ring finger (meaning I wasn't married). That let her know that I don't plan on having children before marriage.
However, I don't come out and say "No, I don't believe in sex before marriage."
I know some teachers have been admonished for talking about getting trashed over the weekend.
Just, be mindful with what you say.
This goes along with the previous post, but is mostly geared towards the teacher's lounge.
Students hear things, sometimes in the most peculiar ways. If you are talking about students in a negative way, they will know. If you talk about certain personal issues/things, they will know. If you talk about another staff member, they will know.
I am currently at a Catholic school. I don't believe in abortion for many reasons but one of those is my religion. I will say that.
When I was subbing at a public school, one of my students was doing a paper against abortion, except for extreme cases. I didn't let her know it was against my religion, but gave other reasons so that she could have a base for her research.
I called my computer my baby once, and a student asked me if I had a child. I showed them my ring finger (meaning I wasn't married). That let her know that I don't plan on having children before marriage.
However, I don't come out and say "No, I don't believe in sex before marriage."
I know some teachers have been admonished for talking about getting trashed over the weekend.
Just, be mindful with what you say.
Teaching Tip #32
Don't Overshare
There is a time for honesty, and a time to keep your mouth shut. I had a teacher, sophomore year of high school, who told us about the three men she was dating, but how she liked one of them more. We (and by we, I mean my classmates - I never paid attention) knew her birthday, the car she drove, the school she went to, etc.
She was a nice person, but not the greatest teacher.
I do not give out my age to my students. I am too young, too close to their age, and I don't want to lose that respect. Recognizing my car is fine and knowing my birthday is not a problem. I also let them know the college I went to, especially because some of them want to go there.
They do know I have a boyfriend, but that is because he's come to events with me. Before that, I didn't share that information.
In the teacher's lounge even, don't talk about major home problems you may not want students to know, your sex life, your address, what you think about controversial issues (unless it's a part of the school or curriculum), or anything like that. It's worse these days with the internet - you don't want certain people to know certain things about you. Think of your students as people with the world at their fingertips.
There is a time for honesty, and a time to keep your mouth shut. I had a teacher, sophomore year of high school, who told us about the three men she was dating, but how she liked one of them more. We (and by we, I mean my classmates - I never paid attention) knew her birthday, the car she drove, the school she went to, etc.
She was a nice person, but not the greatest teacher.
I do not give out my age to my students. I am too young, too close to their age, and I don't want to lose that respect. Recognizing my car is fine and knowing my birthday is not a problem. I also let them know the college I went to, especially because some of them want to go there.
They do know I have a boyfriend, but that is because he's come to events with me. Before that, I didn't share that information.
In the teacher's lounge even, don't talk about major home problems you may not want students to know, your sex life, your address, what you think about controversial issues (unless it's a part of the school or curriculum), or anything like that. It's worse these days with the internet - you don't want certain people to know certain things about you. Think of your students as people with the world at their fingertips.
Teaching Tip #31
Be Honest
Even younger students can sense if you're not being honest with them. The older students, especially in "worse" districts, won't take any sugar-coated lies you may give them.
Let them know what the consequences will be...and follow through.
Explain to them the purpose of assignments.
For Example: "UGH! Ms. xxx, we have SO MANY quizzes in your class! Can we not?"
"Well, do you want to go to the test without knowing, without me knowing, how well you understand the material? This way I can tell if we need to go over more."
"Oh. That makes sense." *sighs* "I still don't like it."
Explain to them the actual purpose of the assignment, so that they're aware of just why you expect them to do certain work.
Let them know how they're performing in your class.
Don't bend the grades. Oh yes, they would like you to do this, but don't.
Tell them if you're having a bad day. If appropriate, let them know why. They will see you as being more human and it will help them not take it personally if you get a bit snippy with them. (Just, you know, don't get too snippy).
If you know you're going to be absent, let them know.
Even younger students can sense if you're not being honest with them. The older students, especially in "worse" districts, won't take any sugar-coated lies you may give them.
Let them know what the consequences will be...and follow through.
Explain to them the purpose of assignments.
For Example: "UGH! Ms. xxx, we have SO MANY quizzes in your class! Can we not?"
"Well, do you want to go to the test without knowing, without me knowing, how well you understand the material? This way I can tell if we need to go over more."
"Oh. That makes sense." *sighs* "I still don't like it."
Explain to them the actual purpose of the assignment, so that they're aware of just why you expect them to do certain work.
Let them know how they're performing in your class.
Don't bend the grades. Oh yes, they would like you to do this, but don't.
Tell them if you're having a bad day. If appropriate, let them know why. They will see you as being more human and it will help them not take it personally if you get a bit snippy with them. (Just, you know, don't get too snippy).
If you know you're going to be absent, let them know.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Teaching Tip #21
Let The Students Talk
I know a lot of teachers have a problem with this, but let me be clear: my students know that if they start talking about something outside of the classroom, something not related to the class, I will make them work independently/make it silent. They don't want that and I don't want that.
The main thing is that you have to be very aware of the conversations. Is the whispering about a clarification on the notes that I'm moving on with, or is it about the English paper that's due tomorrow? The former conversations should be encouraged; the latter not.
I discovered my desire to be a teacher by helping my classmates during group work, but sometimes students need reinforcement before work is done. Their classmates/friends can explain things differently than I do, which may get through to them.
Whispering is also different than talking; working with the person next to or behind you is different than asking your friend who's sitting across the room a question. Set the rules/guidelines immediately and follow through with consequences.
But let them talk. It will result in less confusion later on.
I know a lot of teachers have a problem with this, but let me be clear: my students know that if they start talking about something outside of the classroom, something not related to the class, I will make them work independently/make it silent. They don't want that and I don't want that.
The main thing is that you have to be very aware of the conversations. Is the whispering about a clarification on the notes that I'm moving on with, or is it about the English paper that's due tomorrow? The former conversations should be encouraged; the latter not.
I discovered my desire to be a teacher by helping my classmates during group work, but sometimes students need reinforcement before work is done. Their classmates/friends can explain things differently than I do, which may get through to them.
Whispering is also different than talking; working with the person next to or behind you is different than asking your friend who's sitting across the room a question. Set the rules/guidelines immediately and follow through with consequences.
But let them talk. It will result in less confusion later on.
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